Smile at me
by BrowneyedShamer
Summary: Kid!Lock Jim was alone and bullied on the playground until John offered his hand and a smile and that's how it began.


_What the hell brain what the actual HELL! I should be writing my other stories….but whatever!_

**Smile at me!**

Jim Moriarty was small for his age and often got picked on, mainly by Carl Powers the sandbox bully. At the age of five Jim did the only mainly thing allowed and cried as Carl raced off with the action figure his mom had given him for getting good grades. His nice clothes where dirty because Carl had pushed him on his back to yank the toy from his hands.

It was a sunny day at the local park, in a small town next to London. Jim's cute face scrunched up as he silently cried, upset his toy was taken by the mean eight year old but not wanting to alert his mother to his distress, afraid she's take him home. He didn't get out much and Jim loved the sandbox. He loved the people that passed by him in the park talking and being the genius five year old; he would make up stories about their lives by their conversations. His mother sat at the local gossip table with all the other mothers as kids of all ages ran and played in the massive park. Their screams and laughter filling the afternoon air.

Another shadow fell on the crying child and with red-rimmed eyes Jim looked up fearfully, afraid Carl had come back. Instead he was met with the kindest pair of blue eyes. The blue that made you sigh and say 'what a wonderful day.' The new boy was older than him, Jim assumed five years, making him ten but he wasn't that much taller. His short blonde hair was sticking up at all ends and looked almost comical. The older boy wore hand-me down clothes but the faded plain colors seemed to suit him. His shorts where old pants cut to accommodate the warmer weather and his light brown shirt was stained with dirt, like the kid had been crawling on his stomach.

"What happened?" The older kid asked, tentatively walking over to Jim and sitting a foot from the smaller kid.

"He took my doll." Jim stammered through his tears, unsure why he was opening up to this strange boy. He normally hated new people because they always ended up scorning him but something about the older blonde boy was soothing.

"Boys don't play with dolls we have action figures," the older boy informed him wisely. "Was it Carl?"

Jim had always know he was smart but was this new boy must have been a mind reader like those superheroes on the telly? Jim's silence was answer enough. Just the name of the playground bully made his face contort.

The older boy stood up, wiping the sand off his bottom, before looking around at the other children running and frolicking with each other. For a moment his kind smile and bright blue eyes darkened as those ten-year old eyes that seemed too old for their small body scanned his peers, targeting in on Carl and his three lackeys hiding in the shade of the trees with stolen toys all around them.

"My dad said we must protect what is ours."

Jim nodded at the wisdom of the older boy. "Are you going to save my action figure?"

The blue eyes turned back to him and Jim decided blue was his new favorite color. "No I can't, but I know some others that can."

Jim was confused, wasn't the blonde boy supposed to help him? How could Jim get his action figure back from four older, meaner kids? Jim looked down at his sandy sneakers, feeling his mind swirl with questions. He looked up and blinked in surprise. The blonde boy was gone and if it weren't for the footprints Jim would have thought he had made the older boy up. But he was alone again and he felt sad. None of the other kids had ever wanted to play with him. He hadn't even asked the blonde boy for his name. More tears started to swell in his eyes when a voice broke through his short sadness.

"See he's crying again," Jim perked up at the blonde boy's voice. "Now be nice guys he's tiny."

"Surly John you realize that size and frailty have nothing to do with each other, in fact statistics show that those on the shorter side tend to be-.."

"I don't care Mycroft." John said as he sighted heavily.

Jim found himself staring at four new older kids, three boys and one very pretty girl. His eyes flitted around each one absorbing information. Two of the boys where older than John and about thirteen, one had short brown hair like John the other dark black, who he now knew was Mycroft. The other boy with dark curly hair was six and the girl with long brown hair nine. The two dark haired boys where brothers.

John stepped up to Jim with a wide smile. "I brought some friends to help you."

The girl looked horrified as John said the word 'friends,' as she twirled in spot her red dress swirling around her as she pointed rudely at the posh six year old. "Boys have cooties."

Mycroft's younger brother snubbed his nose at her. "That's moronic, cooties don't exist we have the exact amount of bacteria living on your skin as you do."

John put his hands on his hips. "We eat lunch together at the same table and we play in this park together, that makes us friends." The two younger kids fell silent but continued to glare at each other.

Jim giggled behind his hand as John turned those bright blue eyes to him. "Let me introduce you to my friends," he said emphasizing the words friends and shooting the two younger kids a meaningful look. John waved to his right at the two older kids. "Mycroft and Greg." Mycroft blinked coldly as Greg offered a warm smile. Mycroft wore a vest over his white shirt that immaculate clean and a pair of black shorts. He looked superior to the other kids and Jim assumed Mycroft thought he was. Greg was in a more comfortable outfit, with a blue shirt tucked into a pair of dark brown pants held up with a black belt. It was easy to tell Greg's dad was a copper.

"And Sherlock and Irene." He said indicating the young boy and girl. Sherlock wore an outfit similar to Mycroft but without the vest and his shirt was buttoned wrongly. Irene looked adorable in her blood red dress.

All four where nicely dressed and looked posh next to John who was plain and dirty but to Jim, John shone brighter than the sun and the other kids become insignificant.

"And you're John." Jim said.

"How'd you know?" John asked with surprised.

"Because I said your name." Mycroft answered with a bored eye roll.

John chuckled sheepishly. "Oh right?"

"I'm Jim." Jim said shyly.

"Nice to meet you Jim," John said with another smile as he walked forward and held out a hand that was surprisingly clean. Jim it accepted eagerly. John easily pulled him up right and proceeded to brush off all the dirt and sand from his nice clothes. Once done he stepped back and nodded. "You look nicer with clean clothes."

"Not another stray John you have to stop collecting them," Mycroft groaned as he saw the look of admiration and awe Jim had for the blonde boy.

John looked confused at the word but beside him Greg rolled his eyes and bumped shoulders with his tall dark haired friend. "Stop calling us that. Besides you were the first."

"Actually I was first, but Mycroft wouldn't let me play alone." Sherlock muttered to the air.

Jim looked at John in confusion. John shot a look over his shoulder towards the two older boys. "We're all a bunch of misfits that Mycroft says I collect, which isn't true. I just love adventures and I only play with the fun people."

Jim puffed up at the thought that John considered him fun. His light eyes looked at the other 'strays' who all looked equally as pleased at John's sincere words. Irene and Sherlock even stopped glaring at each other. John clenched his right fist and raised it in the air in triumphant.

"I have found us an adventure. We are going to help Jim get his action figures back."

The group moved into action, the five kids moving in to surround Jim and make him part of the fold. John actually stepped back to allow the four better access to Jim. The five year old panicked as he was surrounded by the four strange kids his hand blindly reaching out. John sensed his nervousness and silently took the small hand in his own, standing to the side.

"I can distract the adults," Irene volunteered with a pretty smile that wasn't innocent. "I'll fall and scrape my knee."

"Don't hurt yourself." John nodded and reached out to pet her head, the girl looked positively pleased.

"Carl has already seen us approach Jim so I'll go around telling the other kids he's a cry baby. Then he'll come back." Sherlock cut in, John turned and smiled at the curly haired boy also reaching out to pet his silky locks.

Mycroft and Greg exchanged looks, silently communicating before Mycroft spoke for the two of them. Jim thought they were one brain in two bodies. "We'll return the rest of the toys to their owners."

John beamed at the two but didn't reach out to touch them as he had with the younger kids, but Greg and Mycroft looked just as pleased to receive the happy smile. Jim had a feeling these four would do anything for that wonderful smile. He also wanted to do something for that smile. Jim looked up at John who hadn't been formulated in the plan, still unsure what he was doing.

"You wait here and when Carl comes back you stand up for yourself," John said confidently.

"But what if he hurts me?" Jim said in a meek voice with trembling lips.

He hated getting hurt. He hated being yelled at and he really hated it when others left him alone. Being smarter than the other kids his age didn't make his a lot of friends.

"We're your friends now and we won't let him. Only friends can hurt friends because we know deep down we love each other." John said soothingly, unknowing that he was wiping away all of the five year olds fears and worries.

"Only friends can hurt friends," Jim repeated under his breath.

Sherlock nodded. "And then one must buy the other Ice cream to say they're sorry." Irene and Greg giggled.

"Sherlock buys us all a lot of Ice cream." John informed Jim who grinned widely.

The group disappeared quickly, Irene skipping off towards the mom tables, preparing for her dramatic fall as Sherlock shrank away to the swings with a look of irritation. Greg and Mycroft headed towards the tree's passing by Carl's group without a single glance as if they were better since they were both older. John remained holding his hand before he gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Time for some trouble," John whispered with a smile. "You'll do fine Jim, your friends will help you."

John slipped his hand out of the smaller boys grasp as he shoved his hands into his pockets and slowly strolled away from the sandbox headed towards the slides. A cheery blonde girl in a white sundress waved happily at him and raced to greet him. Jim sat back down in the sand, getting his nice clothes dirty again but not really caring. He never had. It didn't take long before Carl and his small entourage appeared again. Sally, Andy and Sebastian followed their leader willingly, enjoying the torment. As the four approached Jim all alone in the sandbox and generally avoiding by the other kids, also apparently rejected by the five Jim noticed Greg and Mycroft swooping in on the loot left behind. Jim watched with barely concealed glee as the two older boys collected the stolen toys. Greg waved his action figure in the air behind the four bullies. A smile stretched across his chubby face.

"What are you smiling at freak?" Andy hissed as the four bullies reached the sand box, the three lackeys waiting at the edge as Carl ventured in.

"I have friends!" Jim announced loudly, scrambling up to his small five year old height to show the four he wasn't scared.

"Who would want to be friends with you?" Sebastian hissed.

"I would." John shouted sliding into view next to Jim and taking his smaller hand.

Jim felt his world light up with happiness and security as his hand was firmly held in the older boy's. The world could burn and he'd feel content with John. At that moment Irene dramatically 'tripped' in front of the mom table wailing loudly. The women all swarmed around her, along with other curious children to see what caused the pretty girl to cry out so loudly. Sherlock jogged over from the swings his long shirt tail flapping behind him. The bullies all looked too, giving John the distraction he needed to let go of Jim's hand who whimpered at the loss of the warmth and push Carl Powers out of the sandbox.

The bully stumbled back in confusion, his foot getting caught on the wooden frame. He fell backwards and landed on his bottom, blinking up in confusion. John stood above the other boy frowning down at him like a mother would when her child did wrong.

"Jim is my friend and I don't like it when people make my friends cry."

"Maybe it's because his father recently left," Sherlock sneered coming over to stand next to Jim. John shot Sherlock a look over his shoulder but the six year old ignored it with a shrug. John pursed his lips and stepped back from Carl who looked surprised that John wasn't going to hit him or say anything else. John bowed to Jim indicating he should step forward and confront his tormentor.

Jim held his head high as he walked forward and stood above Carl, Sally Andy and Sebastian glaring at him. "Take this as a friendly warning, back off and stop picking on me. Leave me and my friends alone or I will take you down next time."

Carl looked up with horror as the cute five year olds face contorted into anger. It was terrifying actually and something about his steady words and livid words made the threat seem real. Carl scrambled up and tripped over himself trying to flee. He didn't like the fair odds and the gleam in Jim's eyes. Sally, Andy and Sebastian reluctantly followed behind their leader. Sherlock clapped slowly as John pulled Jim into a hug, pressing the five year olds face into his chest. Jim beamed at the sound of John's heart pumping blood throughout his body.

"Thank you," Jim whispered as he stepped back from the warm embrace.

"You have the perfect potential to be a double agent," Mycroft commented as the two older boys walked to the sandbox. Greg returned Jim's action figure with a smile.

"Mycroft," John said with a frown. "That's dangerous."

"Don't worry. I can take care of myself," Jim beamed truly believing that now. Especially now he had John's charming smile as his support and friends.

"I'm going to take over the world," Sherlock randomly announced.

"I will tell Mummy," Mycroft threatened. "You can work under me like Jim will."

John smacked his forehead in exasperation as Jim chuckled, feeling as if he had just found his perfect nitch.

J-J-J-J-J-J-J-J-J

Fifteen years later Jim knelt by the same sandbox that changed his life one summer afternoon. A small smile on his handsome face. The sun had set hours ago and the dark park was barely illumined by the lampposts lining the walking paths. It was a Friday night and normally Jim could be found parting with his college 'friends,' but not today. He sighed heavily and the news had had received a few hours prior that had attributed to his disappearance from a certain party.

"What is your sentiment with this box?" Sherlock asked with barely concealed distain at the low wooden box of dirt.

"Not that you'd ever understand," Mycroft interjected.

The Holmes brothers appeared from the shadows, Greg following behind Mycroft like he had since they were thirteen. Had Irene not been at a college in France Jim knew she'd be here also trying to consul him in her own way. It wasn't a secret that Jim worshipped the ground John Watson walked on and he never denied when people thought they were a couple since the younger boy took ever measure to hang around and on the older blonde. It had been a hard blow to find out John was joining the army and leaving his friends. Jim knew the time was bound to happen that the five separated to make their own lives but he never imagined John would leave the continent and be so far out of reach.

"We met here," Jim answered.

"Doesn't mean our friendship is ending here," John's voice cut across the park form the other end. He was panting and smiling, having run out of his own going away party when he noticed his friend's absences. He still wore plain and faded clothes but they fit his toned body more than when he was a child.

"You're leaving," Jim grumbled, trying to conceal his worry with fake anger.

"Jim's right the likely hood of you getting shot in combat regardless of the fact you'll be a doctor is significantly more than if you stayed here," Sherlock added solemnly. Which was a close as the man was ever getting to saying 'please stay.'

John crossed the small meadow that was normally filled with screaming kids during the day and reached his four friends. Clearing understand each one. Greg and Mycroft remained silent but their eyes begged him not go as Sherlock avoided his feelings as usual and Jim sunk too deeply in his.

"I'll be back and then we can continue to play."

"What if you don't come back?" Jim screamed, finally voicing his concerns as he jumped up in anger, his fists shaking at his side. Greg shifted on spot as Mycroft looked away.

"Then I'll haunt you all," John teased but his joke made all four men grimace at the thought of their blonde friend dying. "Trust me I'll come running the minute I return."

John left the next day. Waving goodbye at the airport. Jim felt his heart break as he watched the smaller man disappear down the terminal and out of sight, lugging his two duffle bags. The twenty year old remained stiffly standing, not caring he was blocking the way for other busy people at the airport. Sherlock was sitting in a chair nearby pouting and angrily muttering deductions about the other people. Greg sat next to him trying to coax him to eat something, but without John it didn't work and only made the curly haired man more irritable. Mycroft stood beside Jim in a posh suit dramatically leaning against the umbrella he never used.

"I can give you something to distract yourself," Mycroft answered, reading Jim's thoughts on his transparent face. "If it will ease your mind you'll be in as much danger as he'll be."

Jim took the job without ever asking anymore questions. It just made him feel like he was closer to John. They were both helping people in their own way now.

J-J-J-J-J-J-J-J-J

Jim sat on the swings this time, looking at the sandbox. John had been home for two weeks now but hadn't made any effort to see him, or the others. Jim had kept in contact with Sherlock and Irene since they were closer to his age and he actually found himself working with the two. Mycroft became his unofficial boss and Greg his chaser. Since Jim was supposed to be posing as an insane criminal mastermind. It did wonders for his anger management. The young man sat alone in the dark park in his favorite Westwood suit, thinking of the smile and bright blue eyes that had saved him that day and every one after that. He tightly gripped the chains holding up his seat at the thought of never seeing them again. He was so engrossed in his musing he didn't hear the footsteps of the man in front of him until a grocery bag was shoved in front of his face.

Startled Jim glanced up to find John holding out a grocery bag full of small cartons of ice cream. The blonde army doctor looked uncomfortable and tired. Jim's sharp eyes noticed the bags under his eyes, the stiff posture and shoulder wound imminently, but for once kept his findings to himself.

He smirked at the offered bag. "Is this my apology for ignoring me?"

John frowned with a sad sigh. "I'm sorry Jim; I had to sort some things out before I could see you."

"I bet you saw Sherlock first," Jim bit out feeling jealousy boiling in his stomach. He was always trying to compete for John and had since he was five. Of course the detective would win he was everything Jim could never achieve.

John chuckled softly, the sound sending shivers down Jim's spine and not from the chilly breeze that flew past. "You're the first, although I'm sure Mycroft knows."

The thought that John was seeing him first instantly brightened up Jim's day. He let go of the swing and took the offered bag full of Ice cream. John smiled and finally moved to take the swing next to his friend. They sat in the dark, each wondering what to say next. Jim cradled the cold plastic bag as John rocked back and forth in his swing.

"I'm single," Jim announced.

John stopped moving and looked over at the younger man with wide eyes and open mouth. He closed his jaw before chuckling. "Still waiting for the perfect one?"

"I already found him," Jim said looking up at the night sky, taking a fleeting pleasure at John's intake of breath.

"Who?"

Jim continued looking at the sky, humming in response. Content to let John Watson squirm beside him. It wasn't his fault they'd lost touch. It wasn't his fault John didn't understand or recognize he was teasing anymore and it wasn't his fault his heart beat loudly anytime John was around. "It's your fault." Jim screamed to the sky.

"It is and I'm sorry Jim," John said softly, hating to see his friend so angry.

"You were wrong," Jim snarled as he stood up and shoved the bag of Ice cream to the ground. "Friends shouldn't hurt each other and Ice cream doesn't make the pain go away."

John hung his head sadly hating to see Jim so upset and despising himself that he was the cause of Jim's torment. John languidly stood up, wincing as his shoulder throbbed but he ignored his own suffering to focus on the man he had hurt.

"No they shouldn't," John said choking on his words. "I'm so sorry Jim. I didn't know-…"

"No you left me, didn't write and didn't contact me," Jim snarled although he was more bitter than livid. He slashed his hand in the air to emphasize his point and display his anger. Jim wanted nothing more than to shot something right now.

"I've never left you!" John cried out stepping forward and reaching out with a shaky hand towards his longtime friend.

Jim turned and slapped the offered hand out of the air before it could touch him. "Don't touch me again."

"Jim I went away but I never left you." John said his steady voice wavering. "Besides you told me to go, you sent me off with a smile."

"I never wanted you to leave." Jim cried out turning his back on John and looking at the sandbox with pure hate. He wanted to torch that stupid box. "But you were so excited, how could I beg you to stay?"

"I would have for you." John said softly.

Jim gasped and whirled around, ready to attack John if this was a sick joke. He almost choked on his own air when he looked down and saw John kneeing in the dirt. He couldn't stop his heart from fluttering.

"John?" He whispered weakly wondering if this was a cruel dream.

"I had this all planned out, and I wasn't going to say anything for a while but I guess we're going to do this a bit differently." John said.

Jim put his hand to his mouth and started to chew on his thumb with nervousness.

"Hi I'm John Watson. I saw those bullies making you cry and I decided to make it my life's goal to make you continue smiling because I love the way your face and eyes light up with happiness." John said with a breathtakingly beautiful smile as he reached out. "Can I spend the rest of my lifetime trying to make that dream come true?"

Jim's mouth twitched with a smile. He was trying to suppress his excitement and tears. Those where the words he had been dreaming of. Damn his suit, Jim thought as he fell to the ground in front of John and reached out with blind happiness. John pulled Jim to his chest and titled his head up to capture those pink lips on his. The taste of Jim sent his mind on overdrive as he roughly pressed the younger man to him, as if he could push Jim into himself and blend their souls together. Jim mewed and threaded his fingers through John's short blonde hair. Their eyes gazed into each other as they pressed up against each other and their hands hungrily roamed each other's bodies in the dark park.

Jim finally had to pull back, gasping for air. His cheeks where flushed with pleasure and happiness and his eyes shining with joy. John looked just as content. The dark world faded around to two men, kneeling by the swings in a dark park. It was just them as it had been for years.

"Yes," Jim cried as he pulled John in for another mind numbing, earth shattering, heart fluttering kiss. "Gods yes."

John grinned against his lovers lips. "Good because I was going to kidnap you if you said no. I had Mycroft on standby."

* * *

_Yeah so that's that...just a bit of JimxJohn my new guilty pleasure! I hope you enjoyed reading! Will there be more? IDK_

**Thanks for reading!**


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